Coach Behnke recaps program-record 34-win season!
After a 30-win season and a share of the OK Blue Conference championship in 2022, the standard was elevated for the Hamilton varsity softball program. Heading into the spring of 2023, the returning players not only expected a repeat of that success—they expected more.
The Hawkeyes started the 2023 season 10–0 before hitting a rough patch, dropping four of their next six games. However, those close losses were a blessing in disguise, according to head coach Mark Behnke. The team regrouped in a big way, going on a 12-game winning streak to end the regular season and enter district play.
In the district championship against South Haven, the Hawkeyes trailed 4–1. While there were moments of concern for Behnke, he knew the senior leadership would step up. Kyra Kleinheksel delivered a two-RBI double to swing the momentum, and Madie Jamrog put the clamps down in the circle, just as she did all season. The Hawkeyes came away with a 6–4 victory and the program’s first district championship since 1997.
After a 4–2 victory over Wayland in the regional semifinal, the season came to an end with a 4–1 loss to Vicksburg. Still, a 34-win season, a district championship and an offensive performance worthy of the state record books were tremendous accomplishments.
“I’d be lying if I said that I saw 34 wins coming, but I did think we could get into the state tournament and have a shot,” Behnke explained. “Hitters one through eleven, we could really hit the ball, but we could also bunt the ball. There’s a lot of ways we could get you because we don’t generally give up a lot of runs.”
A major reason the Hawkeyes did not give up many runs was University of Akron signee Madie Jamrog, who dominated in the circle. Jamrog finished the season with a 29–5 record, pitched 194 innings, struck out 303 hitters and posted a 1.66 ERA.
“The biggest takeaway from the season is the girls on the team,” Jamrog said. “We had a great team bond and great culture.”
While Behnke continued to rave about his senior leaders—Jamrog, Kyra Kleinheksel and Ava Prielipp—he said the 34-win season was also possible because of the way the younger players stepped up.
“We knew we had three seniors and other letterwinners returning this season that could play,” Behnke added. “That played out exactly how I thought it would, but we brought in three freshmen who hadn’t played an inning of high school softball and two juniors who were on JV for two years—but they’re good players. They all stepped up in a big, big way.”
Freshman Ella Davison burst onto the scene with a 23-game hitting streak to begin her high school career. Davison led the Hawkeyes with a .643 batting average and 81 hits, which placed her 26th all-time in the MHSAA record books—an almost unheard-of accomplishment for a freshman.
“The standard was to compete for championships, and that’ll always be the standard,” Behnke said while discussing the season and the team’s young talent. “I’ve never seen a softball season like this before here. We’ve had a lot of good players that have played here, but we never thought we’d have a freshman hit .643 and a sophomore, Taylor Oosterink, hit over .500.”
The 2023 Hawkeye softball season will be remembered for more than its wins, losses and strong team culture. Hamilton’s hitters also left their mark on the MHSAA state record books.
Here is where the Hawkeyes ranked in team statistics that season:
503 hits: Seventh all-time
90 doubles: Top 20 all-time
40 triples: Fourth all-time
336 RBIs: Top 15 all-time
.438 team batting average: Eighth all-time
The three seniors could hold their heads high knowing they helped raise the standard within the program. With 64 combined wins over two seasons and plenty of talent returning the following spring, the Hawkeyes’ championship aspirations would continue to climb—and Behnke was quite alright with that.